Is it sad, or is it sad, that a show about weight loss, Biggest Loser, has produced more successful couples (2) than a show about producing couples? And both of BL's couples have kids too! Maybe they should do a matchmaking season!

Absolutely, oddly enough TB continues to air with its incredibly poor track record

Holy Cow! I had no idea people would actually read this blog. The response to last week's first episode and first-ever blog was overwhelming. It was so overwhelming that your response helped ABC push our show to two hours once again tonight. I was thinking this blog really gives me a chance to personally reach out to the real fans of my show. So I would like to take this time to say thank you! Thank you for watching and supporting a show that I have loved to host and help produce for the last seven years. I also want to thank you for taking the time to comment below. Believe it or not, I read them all and will continue to do so all season. I love my ladies of course but it's really cool to see the guys who have the guts to comment. And I like hearing couples that hang out and watch the show together. One of you brought up a great point I wanted to address last week but forgot. The houses and proposal sites we use look good for one reason and one reason only, we have an amazing team that never gets mentioned. Production designer Angelic Rutherford and her team come in to the house and turn it into the magical scene you see on TV. They paint (then have to paint it back its original color) and decorate everything. Even the artwork on the wall is usually their original works that they whip out in minutes. Dennis, the lighting looks great as usual.

I titled this week's episode Kisses and Claws because both came out in full force this week. I moved the girls into the house to start the episode. This, of course, is the same house where we just held the rose ceremony. Little-known fact: This is not the morning after the first rose ceremony. It's actually the day after. Because that first ceremony goes all night, we take a day off and give everybody a chance to rest and re-group. This is why the girls looked so nice and put together when I set them up for the first round of dates. The first season of The Bachelor, we didn't have an off day built in to the schedule, and it was brutal. The first ever rose ceremony wrapped up about 6 A.M. I showed up to move the girls in around 8:30. Needless to say, none of us slept that night. The 15 girls this season have to share 3 bedrooms and most use the big master bath. Aside from the dates, the girls do not leave the premises.

Jason spent the first day at the girls' house enjoying a little pool party. We used this day as one large group date. A couple funny notes not seen on TV from the pool party: Jillian didn't shave her legs. Not a big deal right? But then she ended up on Jason's back during the chicken fight...oops and ouch! Shannon took Jason aside to romantically rub suntan lotion all over him. Well, when she opened up the tube it basically exploded all over Jason's back making a huge mess. She made a really funny joke about it that's not really appropriate for ABC, but you can use your imagination. I always find it fascinating how adding a rose to a situation changes everything. The party went from fun and free to tense and dramatic. Jillian, who didn't shave her legs and bless her heart stuck with the whole ketchup-mustard thing, got the rose and the first date. Say what you will, the hot dog thing works people.

Jillian had the rose in hand already so she got to really relax and enjoy that amazing first date at Disney Hall. What did we all think of the first kiss? I'll say this about it: If Jason hadn't stepped up in that ridiculously romantic moment, I would have pulled his man card.

Melissa got the second individual date. Who knew the Goodyear blimp could also be used as a magic eight ball? For the record, Jason hates oysters. He could barely stomach one on the beach date, and as you saw, they're not Melissa's favorite either. Jason got kiss number two in the blimp. Judges score: 8 1/2. I thought it was passionate, sexy but I deducted a point because of the blimp headgear they were wearing and another half point for the fact that I know a camera man and producer were less than a foot away from them. Hot air balloons, helicopters, and blimps are romantic but small.

The group date is where we really felt the drama begin to rise. Molly got a rose and she should have with that smooth move asking Jason if he wanted to see her secret talent. How about Naomi calling her shot (for a kiss) but then being denied the rose on that date? So wait a minute. Our little Jason, quiet, little shy Jason got four kisses in one week. Well played, sir...well played! I mean how dare you, sir, how dare you! One last note about the group date: After it was all over Raquel, who wanted some time with Jason, snuck into his limo to steal some time with him. Jason told me he was exhausted after a very long day and it was very late. All he wanted to do was crawl back in the car and go home and sleep. When he opened the door and found Raquel, let's just say he was rather less than enthused about it. She went home this week!

It was amazing how quickly the stakes were raised by this group of women. That cocktail party was pretty tense. Shannon took her stalker status to level two. Stephanie made us all cry when she shared the story about her husband. But the night was dominated by the drama between Megan and Erica. Here's my take on Megan. She's one of those people that we all know who is always trying to figure out why there's so much drama around them. Meanwhile, it's very easy for everyone to see that they bring it on themselves. One thing you should all know is that Jason is not privy to anything that he doesn't see or isn't told by the girls. He was aware of some drama that night, but at this point doesn't exactly now why or who's to blame. The Bachelor, of course, always decides who he wants to give a rose to and this week he gave the first rose to Megan. The look on the girls' faces was priceless. Next week look for more claws and more kisses. Happy birthday, Sophia! (hint...hint).

Some of you asked or commented on what else I'm up to. ABC is great about keeping me busy. I hosted the American Music Awards red carpet, as well as the Citrus Bowl parade for them. Designers' Challenge is still airing on HGTV, and you can catch me every week night on my one hour entertainment news show on TV Guide Network Hollywood 411. I also cover the red carpet for all the major awards shows for TV Guide Network. I am also now an official blogger. Enjoy the week, and I hope to see all of you at the next rose ceremony!

They had a pool party and Jason had to pick one girl to give a rose to and go on an 1 on 1 date. He picked Jillian. They went to Disney Hall and enjoyed the views of L.A. Then Jason surprised Jillian with a concert by Robin Thicke. They danced several times and had their first kiss!

Melissa was chosen to go on the next 1 on 1 date. They ate oysters and shrimp and went to ride on the Goodyear Blimp. They had a very passionate kiss. Melissa got the rose.

Natalie, Erica, Naomi, Nikki, Lauren, Kari, Sharon and Molly were chosen to go on the group date. They were taken to a boutique and were told to pick out an outfit. Then they went to a fancy hotel pool and had a pool party. Molly and Naomi got kisses. Jason gave Molly a rose.

Prior to the rose ceremony, Lisa tells Jason that her grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she had to leave to be with her family so she eliminated herself from the competition.

Erica and Megan went at it with each other. I'm surprised they didn't get in a fistfight.

Is Sharon the one that went into the bathroom crying? I got distracted with a phone call right when he was giving out the roses, so I'm a little confused on who went home. I know Raquel is the one that surprised him in the car.

Each week, The Bachelorís Jason Mesnick, 32 ó a single dad who previously vied for the affections of DeAnna Pappas on The Bachelorette ó will blog about his experiences on the latest episode in PEOPLE magazineís Scoop section and here. Below is his first installment.

I had a wonderful ride on The Bachelorette, but as my dating journey begins with 15 incredible women, itís crazy how lucky I am to finally be in the driver seat.

So, I packed Tyler up and sent him home to see his Mom in Seattle. I was sad to see him go, but know that the distance will be harder on me than on him. I also know that someday, after Iíve found true love, the three of us will make up for lost time as a party of three.

The ladies and I had a pool party, which was exactly the kickoff I needed. Who wouldnít want 15 hot, bikini-clad ladies fighting for their attention? Unfortunately, though, you wonít get to see the funniest moment from that afternoon. Shannon squirted suntan lotion all over my back and made a pretty good joke about it, though I donít think Iíll ever be able to repeat it.

That evening, my gut instinct was to bring someone other than Jillian on my first date to the private performance at The Disney Concert Hall. But for some reason, I changed my mind at the very last second and chose Jillian, and I donít regret that one bit.

The next day, shopping with the ladies was a total blast. I loved spoiling them, and they loved being spoiled. Most wanted my input on each and every detail, which was super sexy. But surprisingly, Molly was a little shy, and wouldnít show me a thing. Natalie and Lauren took a huge risk and tried to dress me up a bit. I appreciated their enthusiasm, but didnít think I was cool enough to pull off the look. I felt like Justin Timberlake, but Iím not too I sure I was bringiní ďSexyBack.Ē

I later went on a ride with Melissa in the Goodyear Blimp. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my lifeóalthough, I canít say the same for the poor camera operator cramped beside us. He was literally two inches from our faces the entire time. Thankfully, Mel and I had more important things to concentrate on.

Our second cocktail party was crazy. A fight broke out between Erika and Megan, but luckily I wasnít there to witness it. I know theyíve caused some drama in the house, but Iíll need spend more time with each of them so I can form my own opinion.

STEPHANIE'S TOUCHING REUNION WITH HER CHILD, A CHARITY GROUP DATE THAT RAISES BODY HEAT AND AN EXCITING LAS VEGAS GETAWAY CULMINATE WITH ONE NERVOUS BACHELORETTE RUNNING OUT OF THE ROSE CEREMONY, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, JANUARY 19

Pop Star Kate Voegele Sparkles in a Private Performance for Jason and One Lucky Bachelorette

"Episode 1303" - Tensions mount among the 12 remaining bachelorettes and jealousy reigns when it's revealed that there will be two special one-on-one dates -- each with a rose at stake-and a group date. Once again, some women will not go on a date at all. Jason surprises Stephanie with a poignant reunion with her child, and then they're all off on a family-style date to Legoland California. A group date focuses on raising money for breast cancer research, and on the other one-on-one date, Jason showers one lucky bachelorette with a million dollars in diamonds and flies her to Las Vegas for a glamorous evening, including a private concert with pop sensation Kate Voegele. Finally, one woman is so fearful of being sent home, she runs out of the rose ceremony, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 19 (8:00-9:30 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Jason orchestrates a touching reunion with Stephanie and her daughter, Sophia, and the surprises keep on coming as they all go to Legoland California for a day of fun. However the couple share a heart-to-heart talk trying to discover if their connection is deeper than just the fact that they're both single parents.

A lusty group date is all for a good cause, as Jason and eight of the bachelorettes raise money for breast cancer research for the "Keep-A-Breast" Foundation. Each woman makes her own "bust cast" to be auctioned for charity and finishes with a flourish, painting on their own personal touches on their casts. At the cocktail party afterwards, things get serious as one bachelorette shares with Jason that she had breast reduction surgery, another shows him pictures of her child, and another becomes visibly upset about the competition. Jason checks out the results of their artistic labors and offers a rose to the woman who impressed him the most.

Jason arrives at the house to escort Natalie on an amazing date, but first surprises her with a million-dollar diamond necklace from Sophia Fiori, before he whisks her off in a limo to the private jet that will take them to Las Vegas. The two enjoy a swank dinner followed by a private concert by pop phenomenon Kate Voegele. But there's the ever-present rose on the table. Will Natalie return to the house or be sent home?

Before the rose ceremony the women are asked to be honest in talking about each other in front of Jason. Megan, Lauren and Nikki reveal their rivalry and another woman becomes so anxious about the possibility of being sent home that she runs out of the ceremony. Three women go home in tears, leaving nine bachelorettes to continue the fairytale journey.

Airing Against CBS' Original Comedies and Fox's Monday Premiere of "24," "The Bachelor" Grows Week to Week in Viewers and Adults 18-49, While Delivering ABC's Best Ratings from 8-10pm in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 in 3 1/2 Months

"The Bachelor" Wins its Time Period and Stands as Monday's No. 1 Program in Women 18-34 for the Second Consecutive Week

Retaining Nearly All of its Week-Ago Debut Audience, "True Beauty" Beats NBC's "Momma's Boys" at 10pm by 1.9 Million Viewers and by 68% in Adults 18-49

Monday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)Week 2 of ABC's Monday line-up saw the Net hold 100% retention of the prior week's night of premieres across each of the key Adult demographics: Adults 18-34 (3.0/8), Adults 18-49 (3.1/8) and Adults 25-54 (3.4/8). The Net ranked No. 1 on the night among Women 18-34 (4.2/11) for the second week in a row.

"The Bachelor" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)Airing against original comedies on CBS and the 2-hour Monday premiere of "24" of Fox, ABC's "The Bachelor" saw week-to-week increases in both Total Viewers (9.1 million vs. 8.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.2/8 vs. 3.1/8). In addition, "The Bachelor" turned in ABC's highest ratings in the 2-hour time period among Adults 18-34 (3.2/8) and Women 18-34 (4.6/11) since season premiere Monday 3 1/2 months ago - since 9/22/08. "The Bachelor" topped NBC's "Superstars of Dance" from 8:00-10:00pm by 2.0 million viewers and by 68% in the key young adult sales demo (7.1 million & 1.9/4 in Adults 18-49).

* "The Bachelor" dominated its time period and ranked as Monday's No. 1 TV program among Women 18-34 for the second consecutive week

* Against stiff competition, "The Bachelor" gained audience during each half-hour from 8:00-10:00pm, building by 1.3 million viewers (8.5 million to 9.8 million) and by 29% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/7 to 3.6/8) from start to finish.

"True Beauty" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)Taking second in the hour in viewers and young adults, "True Beauty" retained 86% in Total Viewers (6.5 million vs. 7.6 million) and 88% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/7 vs. 3.2/8) of its week-ago series debut. The new ABC unscripted series outperformed its unscripted competition in the 10 o'clock hour, NBC's "Momma's Boys," by 1.9 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 4.6 million) and by 65% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/7 vs. 1.7/4). "True Beauty" won its hour among Women 18-34 (3.4/9) for the second straight week.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 29% currently, from 22% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Sharon Staebell resigned the teaching position she'd held for eight years for a shot to become Jason Mesnick's wife in The Bachelor's thirteenth edition.

However, two weeks into competition, the 32-year-old from Batavia, NY left The Bachelor mansion empty-handed when Mesnick failed to give her a rose at the show's second Rose Ceremony.

During a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Sharon -- who began a new teaching position on December 1 -- talked to Reality TV World about whether she was to become a wife and stepmother if chosen by Mesnick, whether or not she had found love since her time on the ABC reality dating show, and what she thought of the first week's twist that had her voting to send home one of the bachelorettes.

Reality TV World: I guess first off, where are you teaching now?

Sharon: I'm teaching [Spanish] in Rochester, NY.

Reality TV World: On the show Nikki, [a 29-year-old administrative assistant from Blue Island, IL,] seemed to make a big deal about how she felt many of the girls weren't ready to be mothers, who do you think she was referring to the most?

Sharon: All of the girls that I talked to said that they were ready to be moms, so I'm not sure who she got that vibe from, but they all seemed like they were there for the right reasons to me.

Reality TV World: [Speaking] personally, what led you to feel that you are ready to get married and become a stepmother?

Sharon: Before I decided to go out and meet Jason I was in a five-year relationship, and I was ready to settle down and get married, and I was ready to start having kids. I'm 32, so I have a house and I have a job and I think it's just that time in my life to start getting going with a family.

Reality TV World: Did you think you were going to be safe from elimination because you were picked to go one of the dates?

Sharon: No. I wasn't 100% confident about anything. I knew that I liked him but I wasn't sure how he felt about me, so on the night I was eliminated I had no idea if I would stay or if I would go.

Reality TV World: Are you dating anyone now?

Sharon: No. I'm currently not dating anyone.

Reality TV World: How did you feel about that twist [in the first week] where you were told you [supposedly] would be voting one of the girls out?

Sharon: I felt really bad. I didn't think it was my responsibility to send another girl home, and I knew that's what Jason's job was there, that's what he was there to do. So I didn't feel comfortable writing down anybody's name but I knew that I had to write down someone's name.

Plus at that point we really didn't even know each other, there were some girls [where] I didn't even know their name.

Reality TV World: You said you voted for Raquel because you thought she might be a threat. Do you most [of the girls] were doing that, or were some [of the] girls looking out for Jason, as [they] said on the show?

Sharon: I think there was both going on. I think there were girls voting for threats and girls voting for whether they thought someone was a good match for him or not. I think it was full of strategies.

Reality TV World: Is there anything that didn't make it onto the show that you wanted to have air?

Sharon: It would have been nice just to show a little bit more of the interactions between Jason and I. I thought we had some interesting conversations. And maybe just some more of the fun stuff that happened around the house would've been entertaining.

Reality TV World: Was there anything that you guys talked about that didn't make it on the show that you could talk about now?

Sharon: Um. I couldn't think of anything in particular at the moment.

Also in the call, Sharon talked about why she chose to vote for Raquel's elimination, what kind of chemistry she felt she had with Mesnick, how prepared she was to move to Seattle, WA if she had won the competition, and why she initially decided to apply to be on The Bachelor in the first place.

What was the reasoning behind when you came out of the limo [and] you did a little salsa?

Sharon: I wanted to do something that stood out, and I knew that he was into dancing -- I had heard that he had done ballroom dancing lessons -- so I thought that would probably get his attention. It was fun, it was a little different.

Why did you vote for Raquel during the Week 1 twist?

Sharon: At that point we didn't know each other very well, so I wasn't sure whose name to put down, and that was the only girl that game me a reason for putting anybody's name down [after she salsa danced with Jason as well] so I put her name down.

Do you really believe that you could have been able to marry Jason and become a stepmom?

Sharon: You know, honestly I feel like I didn't have enough time to get to know him well enough to be able to answer your question if I would have been able to marry him or not. I don't know.

Were you ready to move to Seattle if Mesnick had chosen you to be his wife?

Sharon: If feelings had developed between the two of us, yeah. I like Seattle, it probably would have been a decent move to make. I would have had to think about it seriously [as] I went through the process, but fortunately I didn't have to do that. I would've been prepared to.

Having had this experience, would you do it again if the opportunity arose?

Sharon: I think that if an opportunity like this arose, if it didn't conflict with my job, I would definitely consider doing it again.

What was the chemistry like between you and Jason? Did you have things in common?

Sharon: I was kind of uncertain about the chemistry with Jason. I knew that I liked him, but I didn't know how he felt about me. Obviously there were so many other girls there that I didn't get a ton of time to spend with him, and I didn't know what was going on with those other girls.

But yeah, I think we were both athletic and kind of down-to-earth people. He likes to travel [and] I love traveling, he likes to dance and I love dancing. So there were some commonalities.

How did you end up on the show?

Sharon: I was sitting with my best friend and my sister and we were trying to figure out how I was going to meet guys, and they said "How about you apply for The Bachelor?"

So I said "Huh, that would be an interesting way to meet someone, why not?" So I applied online.

Your first question comes from the line of Monica Sotomayor with Flash News.

Monica Sotomayor: Hi Sharon, thanks for your time today.

Sharon Staebell: Hi Monica. How are you?

Monica Sotomayor: I'm good, thanks. I know on the show that you mentioned you quit your job to, you know, appear on The Bachelor and everything. What did your students think about that decision or, you know, what did the parents think, too?

Sharon Staebell: Well at the time when I quit my - when I resigned from my job, the students didn't know why I resigned because it was confidential.

So they were definitely sad to see me go but they understood that it was something that I needed to do for myself.

Monica Sotomayor: Okay, interesting. Now have they been watching the show, as you've been on it the last couple weeks?

Sharon Staebell: Well, would that be the students that I was teaching before?

Monica Sotomayor: The students or the parents, or anyone, you know, in the district or anything like that.

Sharon Staebell: Well in the district that I used to work in, I don't really talk to those kids anymore because I don't see them. So I'm not really sure if they were watching or not.

Monica Sotomayor: Okay. And what grade do you teach, Sharon?

Sharon Staebell: Right now I'm teaching Eighth and Ninth Grade, and those kids watched the show; my current students. And they just think that it's pretty cool.

Monica Sotomayor: Okay, interesting. Yeah, that seems like about the right age. I mean the littler ones wouldn't understand it as well. Thank you.

Sharon Staebell: You're welcome. Thank you.

Your next question comes from the line of John Bracchitta with Reality TV World.

John Bracchitta: Hi, how are you doing?

Sharon Staebell: Good. How are you?

John Bracchitta: Oh, pretty good. I guess, first, where are you teaching now exactly?

Sharon Staebell: I'm teaching in Rochester.

John Bracchitta: Okay.

Cathy Rehl: She doesn't want to - I mean you can - it's a middle school right?

John Bracchitta: Yeah, yeah.

Sharon Staebell: Yeah.

Cathy Rehl: And you're teaching Spanish?

Sharon Staebell: Right.

Cathy Rehl: But we're not giving the name out of the school.

John Bracchitta: Yeah, okay. And then just moving on to it, on the show, Nikki seemed to make a big deal about how she felt many of the girls weren't ready to be mothers. Who do you think she was referring to the most?

Sharon Staebell: All of the girls that I talked to said that they were ready to be moms, so I'm not sure who she got that vibe from. But they all seemed like they were there for the right reasons to me.

John Bracchitta: Okay. And then just personally, what led you to think that you were ready to be married and then on top of that potentially become a stepmother yourself?

Sharon Staebell: Before I decided to go out to meet Jason I was in a five-year relationship and I was ready to settle down and get married. And I was ready to start having kids.

I'm 32, so I have a house. I have a job and I think it's just that time in my life to start getting going with a family.

John Bracchitta: Okay. And did you think you were going to be safe from elimination because you were picked to go one of those dates?

Sharon Staebell: No. I wasn't 100% confident about anything. I knew that I liked him but I wasn't sure how he felt about me. So on the night I was eliminated I had no idea if I would stay or if I would go.

John Bracchitta: Okay. And then I just have one more question and I'll get off for awhile. Are you dating anyone now?

Sharon Staebell: No. I'm currently not dating anyone.

John Bracchitta: Okay, great. Well thanks a lot.

Sharon Staebell: Thanks.

Your next question comes from the line of Tom Rose with Fancast.com.

Tom Rose: Hello Sharon.

Sharon Staebell: Hi.

Tom Rose: How's everything going since you got bumped off the show? Obviously you said a few things. You're working at a new school. How's your life going now?

Sharon Staebell: Life is pretty good. I'm just spending a lot of time hanging out with family and friends, and working on my house, trying to adjust to a new job which is great. So I would say things are going very well.

Tom Rose: So you were in Batavia before that. How far is that from Rochester? I mean is it far away from the old community?

Sharon Staebell: The school that I'm currently working in is about 40 minutes from where I grew up.

Tom Rose: Okay. So now what was the reason behind when you came out of the limo and you did a little salsa? What was all that about?

Sharon Staebell: I wanted to do something that stood out and I knew that he was into dancing. I had heard that he had done ballroom dancing lessons so I thought that that would probably get his attention. Plus it was fun, it was a little different.

Tom Rose: All right, and then - yeah, it was. It set you apart there. But then Raquel kind of jumped in to steal your thunder a bit there.

Sharon Staebell: Yes, she did and somebody said there's salsa dancing outside. And I said 'no, that was my move.' She stole it.

Tom Rose: You voted for her in the ballot, right?

Sharon Staebell: I did. At that point we didn't know each other very well so I wasn't sure whose name to put down and that was the only girl that gave me a reason to put anybody's name down so I wrote her name.

Tom Rose: All right, so how did you feel - you just said that you liked Jason. I mean it was very hard - you were only there two weeks. So do you really believe that you could have grown to feel about him in a way that you could have married him and become a stepmom?

Sharon Staebell: You know, honestly I feel like I didn't have enough time to get to know him well enough to be able to answer the question if I would have been able to marry him or not. I don't know.

Tom Rose: And then you just mentioned that you have your own home and...

Sharon Staebell: Right.

Tom Rose: You've got a nice life there. It would've meant also moving to Seattle. You were ready for that?

Sharon Staebell: If feelings had developed between the two of us, yeah. I like Seattle. It probably would have been a decent move to make.

And I would've, you know, I would have had to think about it seriously the more I went through the process. But, fortunately, I didn't have to do that. But I would've been prepared to.

Tom Rose: Okay. And then, you know, you were also saying that - wait, I just it was on my note real quick. Now what were the reasons that they would not allow you to go take this chance?

Why would they - why would you have to resign from that job? I mean how much time were you talking about?

Sharon Staebell: Can I - Cathy, can I answer that?

Cathy Rehl: Well, you know, nobody knows how long they're going to stay on the show.

Tom Rose: Well you can - you get an estimate.

Cathy Rehl: And that's six - that's about six or seven weeks.

Tom Rose: Right.

Cathy Rehl: Well...

Tom Rose: But in teaching isn't it kind of flexible in teaching? Now they wouldn't let (unintelligible)...

Cathy Rehl: Six or seven weeks at the beginning of the school year?

Tom Rose: Yeah.

Sharon Staebell: Well, it was just a district policy to not allow personal leave if it was not related to education or health.

Tom Rose: I see. How long had you been in that job before you - when you made that request?

Sharon Staebell: It was the hardest decision that I've ever had to make, definitely.

Tom Rose: Oh well, you dodged the other one. Now when you came back was it difficult to find another position?

Sharon Staebell: When I got back I started subbing right away and then I got my current job - I started December 1.

Tom Rose: Great. Well congratulations to you. I mean even though it didn't work out for you, it seems like you have moved on and, you know, I congratulate you on that.

Sharon Staebell: Thank you. It was a great experience. I'm glad that I did it.

Tom Rose: All right.

Your next question comes from the line of Ben Beagle with The Daily News.

Ben Beagle: Hi Sharon.

Sharon Staebell: Hi Ben, how are you?

Ben Beagle: Good. Now I know that being from a - you're from a small town. Did that - did you think about that at all and how people would react when they found out that the hometown girl was on this reality TV show?

Sharon Staebell: I just kind of thought that I needed to make the hometown proud so I conducted myself in a way that I thought that whatever I would do they wouldn't feel like, oh no, she's from where I'm from. I can't believe she's acting that way on TV. So, you know, all my family and my friends are still in the local area that I wanted to represent and represent everybody really well.

Ben Beagle: And how have people reacted in your hometown now that, you know, it was on - you were on a couple times?

Have you encountered people, say at the grocery store that kind of recognize you or think they recognize you from somewhere?

Sharon Staebell: Actually, I was in Pittsburgh yesterday at a Barnes & Noble and some girls came up and asked if I was on The Bachelor. And I was very surprised about that. But really I haven't been out and about in Batavia too much.

And LeRoy, I'm still - I've only been there for a year so I don't really know that many people. So no, I haven't really been recognized at all in my hometown. But outside of it I have been.

Ben Beagle: Okay. And having had this experience would you do it again if the opportunity arose?

Sharon Staebell: I think that if an opportunity like this arose, if it didn't conflict with my job I would definitely consider doing it again.

Ben Beagle: Okay. Now the other - now that - even though you're off the show now, are you still watching it? Are you anxious to find out who he...

Sharon Staebell: Oh, definitely. I'll definitely keep watching, yes, because I knew all of those girls and I knew Jason. And I don't know what happens so I'm very curious to see who he picks in the end.

Ben Beagle: Okay, thank you.

Sharon Staebell: You're welcome.

Your next question comes from the line of Monica Sotomayor with Flash News.

Monica Sotomayor: Sharon, I have a quick follow-up for you.

Sharon Staebell: Okay.

Monica Sotomayor: You mentioned you didn't get that much time with Jason but did you feel any, you know, chemistry? You liked him and everything but what was the chemistry like between you guys? Did you have things in common?

Sharon Staebell: I was kind of uncertain about the chemistry with Jason. I knew that I liked him, but I didn't know how he felt about me. Obviously there were so many other girls there that I didn't get a ton of time to spend with him.

And I didn't know what was going on with those other girls. But yeah, I think we were both athletic and just kind of down-to-earth people who like - he likes to travel. I love traveling. He likes to dance; I love dancing. So I knew that there were some commonalities.

Monica Sotomayor: Okay, thank you.

Sharon Staebell: You're welcome.

Your next question comes from the line of Sarah Grossbart with US Weekly Magazine.

Man: Hi Sharon, are you there?

Sharon Staebell: Yes, I'm here.

Man: Hi, thanks for...

Cathy Rehl: Hello?

Sharon Staebell: Hello?

Operator: The line is still open.

Man: Are you there?

Sharon Staebell: Yes I'm here.

Man: Hi, my first question is did women on the show try to undermine each other's confidence in any way? And what was the dynamic like when the cameras weren't pointed in everyone's direction?

Sharon Staebell: I...

Cathy Rehl: I'm sorry, excuse me a second. This isn't Sarah Grossbart, so who is this? Can you just identify yourself?

Man: Oh yeah, I am writing for US Weekly. She couldn't make the conference call.

Cathy Rehl: Oh, okay.

Man: So I'm just...

Cathy Rehl: Sure.

Man: I was just a last minute thought.

Cathy Rehl: That's okay, just as long as you're giving your name and...

Man: Yeah, sure.

Cathy Rehl: Okay, go ahead.

Man: Yeah, so sorry Sharon, did you hear my question the first time?

Sharon Staebell: Yes. I was there early in the process and we were - all of the girls were just getting to know each other so everybody got along really well. For what I could tell for the most part they were very supportive of each other.

And when the cameras weren't on - I don't know if I can say this Cathy or not. You can stop me. But when the cameras weren't on it was just a lot of fun.

It was just a lot of conversations about our lives and getting to know each other, and joking around. And we cooked a dinner one night which was really fun.

So we - I had a good time with all of the girls and I really, really enjoyed spending it with them.

Man: So it was too soon for the kind of - more kind of strategy, kind of plotting to kick in you'd say?

Sharon Staebell: If there - yeah, if there was strategy and plotting to win Jason's heart while I was there I didn't really see it.

Man: Okay, and one last question if you don't mind: what did the kind of - did religion and background kind of play a role in the different ways that the contestants related to The Bachelor?

And what did you think about that whole prospect in terms of, you know, you're going to be married to somebody, you know, for ostensibly - you know, forever and raising a child, and things like that?

Sharon Staebell: Just to clarify your question, you're asking me how religion played into my views on marriage?

Man: Right, because I'd heard somewhere that - I mean that Jason is from a Jewish background and I'm not sure what yours is.

But, you know, if that kind of ever kind of was ever dealt with as a factor or considered when everyone was, you know, doing their thing on the show?

Sharon Staebell: I'm not - I can't speak for the other girls and what they discussed with him as far as religion is concerned. But for me personally, I'm open to people based on their personalities and if there's chemistry.

So if there's chemistry with somebody who is of a different religion, then I'm completely open to it.

Man: So if by - he had asked you to say raise that child in a, like a home of a particular faith you would maybe - you would be willing to compromise or something like that? Or how did you (unintelligible)... ((Crosstalk))

Sharon Staebell: Yeah, definitely. I think it's great for kids to be exposed - if there's parents of different religions, to be exposed to both religions.

Man: All right, thank you very much. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions.

Sharon Staebell: Oh, you're welcome. No problem.

Your next question comes from the line of John Bracchitta with Reality TV World.

John Bracchitta: Hey, I just had a follow up. How did you feel about that twist in the first week when you found out you were going to have to vote someone out or supposedly vote one of the girls out?

Sharon Staebell: I felt really bad. I didn't think it was my responsibility to send another girl home, and I knew that's what Jason's job was there. That's what he was there to do.

So I didn't feel comfortable writing down anyone's name but I knew that I had to write down someone's name.

And plus, at that point, we really didn't know each other and there were some girls I didn't even know their name.

John Bracchitta: Okay. And did you think that people - you said you kind of voted for Raquel because you thought she might be a threat. Do you think most people were doing that or was anyone looking out for Jason, as some people said on the show?

Sharon Staebell: I think there was both going on. I think there were girls voting for threats and girls voting for whether they thought someone was a good match for him or not. I think there was both strategies.

John Bracchitta: Okay. And then just is there anything that didn't make it onto the show that you wanted to have get on there?

Sharon Staebell: You know, it would have been nice just to show a little bit more of the interactions between Jason and I. I thought we had some interesting conversations.

And just maybe some more of the fun stuff that happened around the house would've been kind of entertaining.

John Bracchitta: Okay, was there anything you guys talked about that didn't make it on, like that you could talk about now?

Sharon Staebell: I can't think of anything in particular at the moment that...

John Bracchitta: Okay, all right. Great, thanks a lot.

Sharon Staebell: You're welcome.

Your next question comes from the line of Ben Beagle with The Daily News.

Ben Beagle: Hi again. I just wanted to check, was this a program that you had watched before you - in previous seasons before you went on the show this time?

Sharon Staebell: Yes, I watched The Bachelor - I think there were a couple of bachelors that I missed but I definitely have seen maybe five of the seasons. And then I always watched The Bachelorette.

Ben Beagle: And also, how did you ultimately end up connecting with the show and getting on it?

Sharon Staebell: I was sitting with my best friend and my sister, and we were trying to figure out how I was going to meet guys. And so they said how about you apply for The Bachelor?

And I said that would be an interesting way to meet someone, why not?

Ben Beagle: Okay.

Sharon Staebell: And so I applied online.

Ben Beagle: Okay, thank you.

Sharon Staebell: You're welcome.

Cathy Rehl: Thank you everybody for your time. Again, I will point out that the coming show that's on Monday, January 19 will be two hours once again.

DeAnna Pappas has been looking for love for a hot minute now, so it would be understandable if Pappas has given up on finding love on TV. But that didn't stop DeAnna from making an appearance on a Bachelor teaser, where she looked interested in re-kindling her old a love spark with old flame Jason Mesnick.

This wasn't a case of love, at all, though. The whole meeting was merely a publicity stunt to promote the upcoming season of the series.

"DeAnna did it as a favor to the producers to create some drama," an insider told In Touch. "She has zero romantic interest in Jason -- she has a new boyfriend."

Funny enough, her new man is also a veteran of the reality TV circuit. DeAnna is now in a relationship with Ace Amerson, who appeared on The Real World: Paris.

Pappas met Ace at a bar he owns in November and now the two are getting along famously.

It was Stephanie's daughter, Sophia's 4th birthday and Jason surprised her by flying Sophia in and they went to Legoland and spent the day there, they had the whole park to themselves. Jason gave Stephanie a rose so she's safe for another week.

They had busts made for the Keep A Breast charity. Melissa told Jason a secret that she had breast reduction surgery at 17 because she was a size 28FF.

Jillian got the impession rose.

2nd 1 on 1 date...Natalie

Natalie was told to put on her best dress. When Jason arrived at the house to pick her up, she wasn't ready and was still upstairs deciding on what shoes to wear. So, he hung out with some of the girls while waiting for Natalie. She finally came down and Jason surprised her with a diamond bracelet and necklace worth over $1 million. They got in the limo, then got on a jet and then took a helicopter ride to Las Vegas.They went to dinner and had a sort of awkward conversation. Then they had a private concert with Kate Vogele and Jason still wasn't feeling the connection with her and didn't give her the rose so she got sent home. Before Natalie left in the limo, she told Jason that there are some bad girls in the house.

Prior to the rose ceremony, Jason talked to most of the girls individually trying to find out the drama in the house. Most were tightlipped and didn't drop names until Lauren had her time with him and flat out told Jason that Erica and Megan are the troublemakers.

In the deliberation room, Jason tells Chris he's confused more than ever and wants to get to the bottom of all the drama in the house so when the guys joins the girls, Chris tells the girls to start talking about the drama. Erica, Megan and Lauren did the talking and Shannon was disgusted by the whole thing and walked out the room to the bathroom and she retched in there. As she was walking to the bathroom she said to self, I hate it here. After a few minutes, they started the rose ceremony.

I'm so happy that many more of you have found this weekly blog. Thank you for making it (and the show) such a success. I have to admit that this is tougher than I thought it was going to be. I want to give you as much info as I can, but it's hard to talk about the women without giving anything away. Obviously, I know how this turns out, and I'd hate to ruin it for you. A couple of comments to deal with before we break down this week's episode. Amy, you get the best comment of the week award: "I'm not sure you're justified to pull away any one's man card." That was damn funny and made me laugh.

The men and women on the show can and do workout, but they have to get creative with how. The women do lots of yoga and water aerobics. There is also a very steep hill that comes up the back of the house by the pool that the ladies trek up and down every day. This season, Jason's house is less than a half-mile away from the ladies' house. Mike Fleiss (the creator of this show) came up with the idea to put the guys down in the "outhouse" last season. He likes the fraternity house feel for the guys. It just wouldn't be cool to do that to the women. Making the guys shower outside is just funny, making the women do that, not so much. After date notes are delivered, we tell the girls as little as possible about the dates. Obviously we tell them when to be ready and how they should dress, but that's it. We really want it all to be as much of a surprise as possible. The dates last different amounts of time depending on where and what they are. For example, the date at Lego-Land with Stephanie's daughter this week took an entire day. We obviously keep the house stocked full of anything and everything the girls need. Every day we would get a new grocery list of things from certain kinds of salsa to specific acne cream to ping pong paddles. The girls get what they want. Megan was the bartender of the house. Every day she would whip up this concoction she called sangria, but it was really a mixture of every kind of booze she could find. No wonder the girls were so happy! Many of you mentioned my role in this show and that you wish I could do and show more. Well, me too. But this is the way it needs to be on this show. Early on, Fleiss and I got together and agreed that this can't be a host driven show like Idol or Dancing. The bachelor or bachelorette needs to be the star. If I'm ever the focus of the show you know it's a really bad season. I do like it when the show is expanded to ninety minutes or two hours. We always shoot longer date intros and deliberation room stuff, but we often just don't have the time to include it.

Let's talk about this week's episode. Stephanie was completely shocked and surprised that her daughter Sophia showed up on their date. This was something Jason was very excited about but also told me he was a little sad that Ty wasn't there as well. Lego-Land shut down the entire park for that date. It was a great date and the conversation between them was fantastic. How many of you cried during this date? Be honest guys! How about the Lego Rose? That is the first time in Bachelor history we have used anything other than a real rose.

One last funny note on this date. Sophia brought about 10 outfits with her that day and it's a good thing. She had so much fun and got so wet and dirty at the beach and Lego-Land, she ended up changing several times. You might have noticed that she always had on a different outfit in every scene.

The group date was a bust...get it... a bust. Sorry, too easy. I have to give it to our producers, who are challenged each season to go out and find new and different dates. Not only did they achieve that, but they also found a way to raise awareness for breast cancer. We were honestly very worried the women would freak out that we were asking them to strip down naked behind a screen on camera. We were pleasantly surprised and happy that they got it and really went for it. Megan let us know the women don't understand half of her depth. Then stunned us with her depth when she explained her fetus design. Okay, how many of you fell off your couch and then rewound your DVR to hear Melissa explain that not only did she have a breast reduction but at one time had double F's? As Jason put it, that's a Big problem. Jillian got the rose on this date. I always find it interesting just how easy it is for bachelors to be with certain people. I certainly see that with Jason and Jill. (See how I'm trying to open up for you?)

Natalie's date was a dream come true. I believe it was also what caused her nightmare. Playing into all of her superficial wants and needs really exposed a side of her that didn't appeal to Jason. As he said himself, the happiest he saw her was when she saw the diamonds. Good for Jason for looking past the woman in the hot dress and realizing it just wasn't happening. That's something that sounds so easy but so many of us fail to do. Natalie isn't a bad person, not by any means, she just wasn't right for Jason at this point in his life and he knew it. One thing you didn't see on the show: After taking off the million-dollar jewelry, Jason gave her a very nice diamond necklace to keep. She was so upset with him she refused to take it and left the necklace in the limo.

The cocktail party was wild. Maybe more than ever the women were really vying for Jason's time and his lips. They were all trying to one up each other. Shannon was beyond stressed and didn't feel good that night. The tension was high and then Lauren let loose and told Jason about the other girls. Some bachelors don't care much about what's going on in the house but not Jason. When we got to the deliberation room I could tell he wanted to know more, so I figured let's have it out. Jason didn't know I was going to bring him out to do that before the rose ceremony. It was a win-win situation; Jason got his info and it made for really good TV. When I told the women to open up and speak freely about what was going on in the house, they were a little reluctant, but as you saw they did indeed open up. Megan and Lauren went after each other pretty good and Erika jumped in a little. Poor Shannon had enough and was feeling so much stress she made a dash for the bathroom. I was just happy to see that after getting sick (she did throw up) she didn't try to make out with Jason. Megan was so understanding about Shannon, she should be a nurse! In the end Megan got a rose and thus set up more drama next week. At this point in the show the women are so on edge and so sure they'll be going home they stopped unpacking and just started living out of their suitcases.

Sorry this blog couldn't encompass more. It's been a crazy week. I kidnapped my wife and took her to Vegas for her birthday, Happy 25th B-Day, Gwen! You're welcome for that. Monday I left for Washington D.C. to cover the presidential inauguration. You can check out my coverage this week on Hollywood 411, TV Guide Network. This Sunday I'll be on the red carpet for the SAG awards also on TV Guide network. Until next week, keep your comments coming, and I hope all of you have the most dramatic week of your life!

Bachelor Jason Mesnick blogs about episode three, which had him trekking to the beach and Las Vegas for one-on-one dates, going on a very revealing, hands-on group date, and falling victim to a rant from a woman whom he denied a rose.

Ty was doing great this week, but to be honest, it sucked that I couldnít be with him. I missed him more than ever at Legoland. He wouldíve loved to be there with Stephanie and her daughter, Princess Sophia. But, I felt it was so important to protect him from being confused or hurt during this process. I promised myself that I would not introduce Ty to any of the women until I knew I was truly falling for them. So while I was lucky enough to share this day with Steph and her Princess, I knew my little Prince is having a wonderful day at home with his Mom.

Sophia is truly amazing. We had so much fun playing on the beach. At one point she got a little carried away, slipping and bumping her face in the sand. She stood up and shook it off like the true Princess that she is. My tears were tears of joy, and they were incredibly real.

AhhhÖThe Keep-A-Breast group date. I was shocked by how passionate all the girls were about giving back. Thankfully not all of them have been touched by breast cancer directly, but as women they were all connected. And I saw sides of them I hadnít gotten to see quite yet (figuratively and literally!). When Erica and Melissa jumped up to apply the baby oil on my chest, I was so flattered. I blushed a bit, but the oil did help me save a few chest hairs. (Ouch!)

Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. I have been through this process before, so I know what it feels like to receive a roseÖ and what it doesnít. It starts with disappointment, but as time moves on and on, there is only more hurt involved.

It was so hard not giving Natalie a rose. I picked it up because I wanted so badly to give it to her, but put it down because I knew I couldnít. Now I have a bit more understanding for why DeAnna did the very same thing to me.

Yes, she called me names. And that never feels good. But everyone takes rejection in a different way and I donít blame her for how she was feeling. Natalie is a beautiful girl and will have all of Chicago waiting for her.

In the end, Iíve learned that it isnít always better to give than to receive. Accepting a rose always puts a smile on a womanís face. But each week, I have fewer and fewer to give. And making one woman smile may put another in tears.

A GROUP DATE TO ABC'S "GENERAL HOSPITAL" SETS THE WOMEN'S DAYDREAMS SPINNING, A STRESSFUL SINGING CONTEST DECIDES THE ONLY ONE-ON-ONE DATE, AND A HIGH STAKES TWO-ON-ONE DATE ENDS IN TEARS, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, JANUARY 26

"Episode 1304" - The nine remaining bachelorettes are falling hard for Jason, but learn they must "sing for their supper" to earn the coveted one-on-one date, composing and performing a song for the handsome single dad. The Bachelor will pick the winner for a truly intimate date. A lucky group of six ladies go behind-the-scenes of ABC's hit daytime drama, "General Hospital," to act out their secret fantasies with Jason. And the stakes are especially high on a special two-on-one date when the Bachelor takes two women for a romantic evening of ballroom dance lessons and waltzing under the stars. He must give a rose to one woman, sending the other home immediately. Finally, Jason makes a shocking last minute decision at the rose ceremony, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 26 (8:00-9:30 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

The women warm up their voices as they compete for the only individual date this week. Most of the ladies spend their 30-minute time allotment working hard to write an appealing tune for their guy, but one woman is so overwhelmed by the task at hand, she breaks down in tears. The women sing opera, country and even a lullaby for Jason's son, Ty, to try and convince the Bachelor that he should choose them. The winner rates an intimate dinner date at the Bachelor pad, where she attempts to persuade Jason that she is ready for marriage and being a stepmom. To everyone's shock, she does not return from her date that night!

Six ladies join Jason on the set of ABC's Emmy Award-winning daytime drama, "General Hospital," and two of its stars, Bradford Anderson and Kirsten Storms. With some coaching from the actors, the women act out their fondest dreams with Jason. Jillian receives an onstage proposal, Lauren plays his wife. But when Megan is supposed to deliver a stage kiss, she plants a real one, much to the dismay of the other women. Emotions run high at the "after party," with Shannon in tears begging Jason to let her stay. At the end of the night, one woman earns a hard-fought rose.

On the two-on-one date, Jason picks up the two women in a vintage Bentley and whisks them away for a romantic evening of dining and dancing under the stars, as they learn to waltz. By the end of the evening, Jason offers a rose to one woman, while the other leaves brokenhearted in tears.

In one last surprise, Jason makes a stunning last-minute decision at the rose ceremony.

ty ty for all the info and updates...i have been dvring the bonnie hunt show sence dallas and toni were on it , butmy hubby eresed the one with jason on it so ty ty . love the pic's also will and mara u r the up date queen.. for sure...i am trying to rember what ace looks like i did not watch that season of the rr. the guys looked like there having a blast in co..i for got about weird jeramy.. any way ty again..